Sunn T50C 112 Combo

Nice tubes, great overdrive, great clean, and looks cool. Has an adjustable impedance control for external and internal speaker cabinets, effects loop (I don't use it), bias and balance controls, foot switch, and best of all the 15 watt low output mode to get nice sounds an tone at low volumes.

50 watts is more than enough. May be too low if playing a large hall or venue, but then all you would need would be more speakers. The one 12 just doesn't move enough air to fill up a big hall. The 50 watts can drive a speaker cabinet easily and provide enough volume for a large hall.

Sound quality is great! Really brings out the sound of whichever guitar is plugged into it. Strats sound great and spacy, with some bite on the over drive. Good for an indie type tone. I use a Dean Z series for my "les paul heavy riff" type tones. I can get some cool AC/DC type tones. Not as nice as a marshall and SG, but very usable. Just great all around for any type of rock genre a person wants to play; blues, indie, riffing, garage, country, and non drop d type hard rock/punk.

Not really good for neumetal or metal core type tones. Or really mega distorted oppressive tones. More for old thrash type tones, which use a more oldschool distortion like the one this amp has. I have yet to use the old boss heavy metal pedal with this amp, so I have not tryed all the metal possibilities with this amp.

But that is not the type of music I play regularly, if I did I would just get an 80's marshall head and cabinet.

This amp is solid tone, and also experimentation with some NOS tubes will just bring this baby to a whole new life.

The equilization controls do not cut the tone heavily, so if one likes to shape the majority of there tone with an EQ then an external eq would probably be necessary. Te EQ works great for my needs; to boost the treble or bass here and there. Moving the bass knob will not go from nothing to supper heavy bass. The majority of the tone comes from the guitar that is plugged in.

I have played in bands with people with fender devilles, and I would say that this amp has much more versatility in tones. The devilles sound great but they cannot get the amount of different tones this amp can get. The devilles would sound louder as well because they have 4 speakers where the t50c only has 1.

Takes pedals really well through the clean channel.

I got this amp in 2001-2002 or so. (Can't really remeber). I got it a year before they started to drop the prices on them to 500 bucks.

I have taken this on a boat, rolled it around on all types of terrain, bumped it and knocked it over,played it at 10 for long shows when I didn't have any extra speaker cabs and smoke from the tubes came up, and just have given it some good use.

This thing is still kickin.

Also have stored it for 2 years in a garage and house because I wasn't able to gig.

Still kickin.

Can't say

I give this a great rating. I bought this for 600 bucks and have never had any regrets. Other amps are better for providing specific tones, but all one would get for those expensive amps would be those specific tones, not much versatility. If I had more dough I would definitely get more amps, but this amp does a great job and sounds great live.

I only wish I got the extension cab when I had the chance. I guess it is time to check ebay.

All an amp needs to be, Ear splittingly loud, Gorgeous, back breakingly heavy (sign of quality), All valve, Valve driven Spring reverb and no digital effects!!!

Its just perfect. Fat with a compressor (Marshall Edward is a good choice with it) because it just pushes the clean valves over the edge into the holy grail of dirtiness, output power dirtiness!!!

You could not ask for more with this, especially at the price.
I dont know what they were new but i picked my one up for #500 and considering that those nasty Hot rod devilles are what , around the #800 pound mark, i think i win. This is my holy grail of tone.
An interesting experiment that just kicks the shit out of anything is sticking either a 1*15 cab or a 4*12 Green Back Celestion Marshall Cab under neath.

If your really adventurous, link your Sunn T50C up with a Marshall Plexi Head and 4*12 cab and a Sheldon Head and Cab.
Enjoy!!

Only one thing is wrong with it, and that is the jewel light on the front as it flickers now and again, but who really cares.

I work for the shop that i made the purchase from. Cant get better service than that.

Awesome. You cannot fault it.

Well I'll eat my words!

Please see and read my (the) previous review,
and then read on to the "CUSTOMER SERVICE" section on this review, below!

I do, I eat my words!

Well I'll eat my words!

Please see and read my (the) previous review,
and then read on to the "CUSTOMER SERVICE" section on this review, below!

I do, I eat my words!

Well I'll eat my words!

Please see and read my (the) previous review,
and then read on to the "CUSTOMER SERVICE" section on this review, below!

I do, I eat my words!

THIS IS WHERE I GET TO EAT MY OWN WORDS !!!!!!!
As it happens I had need on Friday 11th Feb 2004, to attempt to phone Fender Uk's service dept. So I half heartedly checked their web-site, found a phone number and, "WHAMMO"!!!!! At the push of a button, I was straight through to the service department's telephone which was picked up immediately by a wonderfully helpful "Mr Paul Mathews", who listened and gave good and detailed advice! He was also happy to speak to me on a further three occasions that day, with further patience and more sound (no punn intended) advice.
Well done Paul Mathews! And well done Fender Uk for employing such a helpful and nice fella!
I thouroughly recommend Fender UK's service dept' and praise their enthusiasm!

Well I'll eat my words!

Please see and read my (the) previous review,
and then read on to the "CUSTOMER SERVICE" section on this review, above!

I do, I eat my words!

I bought this amp new 2 years ago, it'd been hiding in the shop for ages and was discounted. I tried out just about everything else in the shop; Fenders, Marshalls, Messas the lot and walked away with this baby. Why? Cos it's a damn versatile small unit, loaded with worthwhile features, simple to use, pretty to look at, and to my ears crosses Marshall and Fender territory. I Love and regularly use the 1/4 power switch on the back to drop from 50 to 12.5 watts, and despite other peoples comments I love the reverb! It even came with a chunky set of push in castors, and boy do you need it: heavy little chap. Shame it's only a 1x12, but it handles perfectly well, and shame there was no cover with it too! But if you live near a sailing community like I do, some little enterprise'll knock you one up easy! I don't use the FX by pass, I put my pedals (Boss Tuner - Keeley Compressor - Vintage FX TS808) between my guitar'n amp in that order, but I know some like and use the by pass, so it's a good resale point!

I cannot understand why previous reviewers have bought this amp out of choice, then spend all their money, time and life trying to discover "The Holy Grail" of sounds by changing and using a complicated variety of different make valves, in different positions. GET ANOTHER AMP!
I use both Humbuckers and S/C's to play blues and rock. This amp'll do the lot in it's stock state. If you don't like it when you try it out, don't buy it!!! The clean channel don't come no cleaner and I rarely use it. The drive channel I use all the time and hardly dial in to it. I crank the channel vol up high and leave the drive on about 2 max. Instant SRV. Add more dirt and roll off the channel vol and u got Instant Gary Moore. Also, get used to rolling the guitar vols and tones on and off. Believe it or not, that's what they're there for! I leave my Keeley Compressor on always, occasionaly kick the valves with the 808, and use moderate amounts of reverb. Because it's got the 1/4 power switch, I can use this anywhere; from my small music room at home to a large gig. It's one of two main amps that I use, the other's a back-breakin', vein-swellin', ball-bustin', 100w Marshall 4140, 4x10 combo.

The Jewel light on the front broke. Oh dear!!
The original fuse was too light and blew a few times. Had to load that up a bit! But everyone knows about that fault with this amp, don't they?
Apart from that, it's solid, reliable and rugged; but I never go anywhere without a back up these days!

Well it's a Fender amp. I don't deal with 'em, even if I could get through to em in this country (UK)!
Find yourself a local Amp Tech! Befriend him! Bear gifts of moist cake and spicey wines to his doorstep!
Most Amp Techs love to play with, and talk about, amps, and they enjoy visitors! If your's don't, find another! There's loads of 'em about out there and a good one is worth more than any fine words and deeds you'll get from a major corporation in the UK, except Marshall's, of course! "All hail, Jim Marshall and the boys at Denbigh Road, Bletchley, UK" Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

Been playing 40 years, own Marshalls, Dennis Cornell Customs, Gibson Goldtone GR15, Selmer T and B, and Lord knows what else I've forgotten about in various wardrobes and cupboards.
If it were stolen?
They don't make 'em anymore and you can't find a 2nd hand one for love nor money, so what does that tell ya? Think it'd give me an opportunity to go for a vintage Fender, say a Pro-Reverb or Super-Reverb.
What do I love about it?
It's cosmetics! Built like a brick out-house and reminds me of that character from the Wallace And Grommit movie, "Big Day Out" (the mobile cooker they find on the moon)! Keep expecting my amp to produce a telescope from a drawer in his tummy. Always chuckling to myself 'bout that one!
Anything I wish it had?
A cover? Definately!
Solid gold casters that I could melt down and spend?
A facility to make me play like, and not just sound like, Stevie Ray Vaughan!
Yeah in all honesty I'd like it to be hand wired to a high quality. Don't like PCB's! I sometimes just take my Dennis Cornell Hank Marvin custom 30w Class-A top apart, just to admire the chrome chassis, the glass and the hand wiring. I might not be a Gynaecologist, but I know what I like to look at! I gotta give it TEN for this, I bought it!

This sat in a music store forever and I got it below cost. Plenty of features, well thought out in terms of biasing and all. I wish it had an overall master volume rather than a volume for each channel. I have had this amp for over a year and the only thing I have changed is I put a Celestion Greenback in it.

I have a liking for humbuckers and so the majority of my guitars are Gibson. I like dirty cheap rock and roll, blues and the like. I have been playing threw a Fender Prosonic which a fantastic and brutal amp and comming back to the Sunn it sounded a bit odd, to clean, artifical, republican like. So I put a THD Hot Plate on it and opened it up, better but still not as brutal as the Prosonic/

Not a bit of trouble, I guess PCB's and quality guts helps.

Don't know.

Been playing for awhile, since highschool with a twenty year break and been hard at it for the last seven years. Were it stolen I would take the insurance cash and buy a repropuction 57' twin or Bassman or something with a tube rectifer and point to point wiring.
It's all about tone and I am sure, though this amp is good there is better tone out there.

The Sunn T50C is a great tube amp, EQ for each channel, a presence and a reverb knob for the 2 channel. The Effect Loop contain a return and a send knob for each channel. I Think it's great.

It sound really good but too bright a think, i have to turn down de middle and treble knob to 2 or 3 to tamn it ! The Overdrive sound great !!! Overdrive to a metal distortion ... Both channel are great i think.

i have this amp for only 2 month ...

The Sunn Amp are Discontinued so ...

i Give a 9 for the Sunn t50c because it's a very versatil amp and it sound really great !!! a fender clean to a marshall/MEsa Boogie Distoriton !!!

You can use the effects loop as a volume boost if you don't want to put effects in it, which is nice.

Stratw/LaceSensors>Amp
I'd say its too damn bright on the clean channel. I need to roll the treble down to 3 to tame it. Also, with the stock tubes the clean channel breaks up very early, which is bad if you want a sparkly clean with a loud band, but good if you like dime it for a nice bluesy sound (the wattage switch makes this a viable option). Other than those two problems, the clean channel is fairly nice. The reverb is somewhat shallow and short even when set on 10, but its a decent surfy spring sound. The amp has a good OD, lots of gain, the description "cross between British and American" is about right. I'd say the OD is a little loose for thrash metal, but that's not really my specialty.

Customer support would be done by Fender I suppose, as they purchased and eventually abolished Sunn, incorporating a few of the Sunn amps into the Fender line, I believe.

Everyone knows when this amp was made, and that its not made anymore....and what it has on it....blah blah. I want to comment on the awsome tone you can get from the amp. I play a little but of everything, but more heavy stuff. I was looking for a high gain amp, and even after I bought this one about a year ago, I was still looking. This was however before I cranked the thing up and realized what kind of tone monster it is.

I've got several guitars I'm using right now, an s series ibanez loaded with EMGs, a guild bluesbird loaded with humbuckers, a stock fender american strat, and an american deluxe strat that is loaded with a blue lace sensor in the neck position, the stock noiseless in the middle, and a pearly gates in the bridge. The amp is so much more versatile than I originally thought. I hope that I never have to part with this amp. It has an incredible tone that can't be faked, and enough gain to make anybody wanting bone crushing distortion, however not sounding like metallic sludge. Plenty of chunk, all the while being very defined and clear.
The amp is no noisier than any other tube amp, and the single coils aren't that bad through it, nothing more than 60 cycle hum.
The clean channel is enough to cut my head off when cranked up, and will get pretty dirty, giving you that awsome distortion from the power section of the amp.
This amp sounds the best when played wide open!

The amp has never broken down, and it has a rough ride where ever it goes, due to riding in my old jeep. Very dependable, however I have started to wonder how repairing it will go since it is no longer made.

I actually work for a music store that is a Fender dealer and I deal with the company daily. I can't think of a better company as far as service and ethics go.

I've been playing for about 5 years now, and I've got a fender deville, and several other smaller amps, but anytime I have the opportunity to crank one up, the Sunn is my weapon of choice.
At first I religously used pedals with it, and tried all kinds of effects, however I never found the sound I was looking for, that is untill I decided to plug straight in to it, and crank it up, now I can't find anything else to settle right on my ears. The amp just meshes really nice with my playing style and tone I'm looking for. Also, if you can find the matching extension cab(i did, and love it), get it, it just makes it that much bigger, and the tone is so tight.

It's all been said...wouldn't mind tremelo like the new Pro Reverb/Concert Reverb

I wrote a rview of this amp when I first got it...don't think it's still posted for some reason. This is a great-sounding amp but when I bought it I found the speaker was very harsh. I replaced it with a Rverend Alltone 1250 and it made a big improvement. I also noted that the gain is way over the top for what I like..Roots-type stuff and Rockabilly, Rock'nRoll,etc so I have experimented a little with changing the preamp tubes...This has helped as others have noted though I don't think I've found the perfect combination yet!!The clean channel has a wiry tough tone somewhere in a good place between Vox and Fender. The gain channel is actually pretty good, I just want to dial in the crunch more gradually...by 2 it's already alot!! The Reverb is weird...nice and lush but not really integrated with the tone as someone else has said...it sort of floats out there somewher away from your notes...strange! I like the extra controls on the back and the two settings on each channel for the footswitch.I play a Tele and a Starcaster and it likes both. Really a cool amp for those who want something different. It's big and beefy for a 1X12 Combo, and it sounds like it too! I have the extension cabinet too and I have yet to use it at a gig.

so far so good

I think I've about said it...nice amp, great tone..They need to ramp in the gain more gradually. I wouldn't mind trying the new Fender Concert 4X10 version of this amp!!!They were too expensive originally but a real value at the blow-out prices when discontinued.

This is another follow up on my 3/31/03. I've had these amps about two years. I'm submitting this to share my experiences with different tube and speakers. As for features, I think this amp's are great. You have all the EQ you need to get the tone you want without also needing an engineering degree to figure everything out.

PRE-AMP TUBES REVISITED:

Here is where I want to focus.

Myself and other reviewers have commented on toning down the gain structure in the pre-amp by using pre-amp tubes with less than in lieu of 12AX7s. In other words, don't front load the pre-amp section with 12AX7s. Like other reviewers, I experimented with 12AU7s, 12AY7s, 12AT7s, 5751s and various 12AX7s. You'll get a better clean if you use the lesser gain pre-amo tubes, but I also found that too many lower gain pre-amp tubes adversely affected the overdriven tone. Even 12AT7s cut too much. I used good ones: JAN Philips and Mullard 4024s. I tried them in V1 and V2 or in V1 alone. They did a nice job for the clean channel, but I definitely noticed some clarity and definition missing when I cranked the on-board overdrive. Upping the gain structure just a little with 5751s made a subtle but noticeable difference.

I also suspect the output (not gain) from an 12AT7 might have something to do with this. A 5751 has similar output to a 12AX7. The amp was designed around 12AX7s in V1-V4 and V6-V8, so the laymen in me thinks the comparable output may have something to do with why I found the amp to sound better with 5751s in the critical positions than with a 12AT7.

I had also noticed from prior experiments that the V3 tube has a pretty significant impact on the tone and gain structure - much more than I expected. The bottom line is that to tone down the harshness of the stock setup, but retain a nice, usable clean channel I wound up with a JAN Philips 5751 in V1; a Shuguang 12AX7 in V2 and a GE 5751 in V3. I left the stock pre-amp tubes in the remaining positions. In my second Sunn T50C, I did the same thing except that I used a Sylvania 5751 in V1. The GE 5751s are excellent but tend to be a little bit darker in tone, so the Philips and Sylvania 5751s were more to my liking for the all important V1 slot.

OPTION 2: But I also want to point out that my brother has the 120 Model T head. He had similar complaints about an overly sharp and grainy overdriven tone. He simply replaced the 12AX7 in V1 with a 12AT7. He left V2 and V3 with the stock SOVTEK 12AX7s. He thought the V1 change did the trick.

I've come to conclude that this guitar is better with humbucker guitars than with single coils. This is an amp that is meant to be played hard. It is meant to rock, and anything less doesn't let it shine. The clean channel is usable. It has a nice clarity - more Vox than Fender - but it will only come out if you have good quality tubes in there. Otherwise, all you'll get is a trebly, ill-defined tone. I think I've finally found a pre-amp tube array that gets me a good clean and a good onboard overdrive.

SPEAKERS:
My main speaker set up is a 16 ohm Fender Tonemaster 4 X 12. It came stock with Celestion Vintage 30s, but I took them out. It now has 2 Celestion Blue Alnicos and 2 Eminence Legend Alnico 122s in an "X" pattern. The tone of four Alnico speakers is tough to beat. But Eminence Legend V12s and GB12s also sound excellent with this amp. The Celestion Greenbacks also sound great. The stock Celestion G12T-75 sounds pretty good in this amp, but it is definitely worth it to use external speaker cabs and move some air.

Two years and no problems.

Haven't needed it.

Nothing to add here. Just wanted to talk about speakers and tubes. These are great amps!